From the Front Lines of No Child Left Behind

5 class sessions, 130 students, and 4.5 months. Those are the statistics of my personal, ongoing career in education. Teaching English at the high school level in a state with low funding and high testing standards has certainly been an eye-opener. First, allow me to say that I love the idea of No Child Left Behind (NCLB). The very name of this program speaks of a desire to ensure that every child enrolled in public school leaves the school system as a functioning, literate, well-educated member of society. It is often coupled with attractive words like measurable results, accountability, and responsibility. The following is a sampling of verbiage being used by the White House to describe this program:

- "The President signed into law the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) so that testing, accountability, and high standards will join with record new funding to help ensure educational excellence for every child."

Translation: Education is now driven and measured by standardized tests. Schools, you'd better measure up, or else...

- "$250 million will be used for State Assessments to ensure that high school diplomas are truly meaningful with required state assessments in high school."

Translation: If you're an idiot who can't pass a state assessment, your entire high school education is clearly in vain and a waste of your time.

- "programs that have not proven effective in improving our secondary students’ academic achievement will be consolidated."

Translation: Don't worry about all this extra spending folks. Plenty of budget cuts will follow.

- "To build on America’s education reforms, the President’s high school initiatives will increase the quality of secondary education and ensure that every student graduates from high school prepared to enter college or the workforce with the skills to succeed."

Translation: If you don't have the skills the government deems necessary for success in college or business, good luck passing high school.

-Source http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/education/

Needless to say, my time in the classroom has caused the shine to wear off this spiffy new program. In practice I see that administrators are constantly pressuring teachers to teach to test standards. Any assignment or project that does not match the stated benchmarks of the standardized tests is unworthy of the classroom. Teachers who want to teach students how to learn in addition to teaching raw facts and knowledge find that there is precious little time to cover non-essential skills like social behavior, time management, and creative thinking. Talented, able young adults who do not test well for a variety of reasons are being told that they have not earned a diploma despite meeting every other requirement and doing everything they can to graduate.

Is it just me, or does it seem wrong that the overwhelming number of students who end up as day laborers, trade workers, and others who do not require advanced writing and math skills in their careers are told that despite being productive adults they are unworthy of a real diploma. The alternative diploma which is basically a certificate of attendance is an arrogant insult.

Rather than forcing kids to pass tests on skills they may or may not use, rather than assuming that all students need to be at the same minimum level of proficiency to be diploma worthy, wouldn't it be fairer to allow kids to choose a vocational high school education for their 11th and 12th grade years? Can't we award them a vocational diploma? A piece of paper that says "This student is a competent adult with the experience, training, and skills to succeed in their chosen vocation" is certainly superior to a non-diploma that tells a potential employer "Look out for this one; (s)he couldn't even achieve the minimum score on a standardized test."

Until they reach working age, 16 years old in most places, children should be exposed to material and subject areas that they may never encounter again after they complete their schooling. The future plumber should know the wonders of biology (after all, they gotta know plumbing), and the future entertainer the majesty of astronomy (hey, gotta know a star to be one). After that age is reached, each child should be given the opportunity in consultation with their parents, teachers, counselors, and consciences to decide whether to pursue a college bound educational path or vocational path. Once we as a society accept that college isn't necessary or even useful for everyone, that life is the greatest educator, and that vocational training and careers that don't require college can be financially rewarding and personally fulfilling, the better off we'll be.

I'm a National Merit Scholar, a Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholar, a Magna cum Laude college graduate and a high school teacher. My brother is a high school graduate (barely and pre-No Child Left Behind). He cuts granite for kitchen countertops. Guess who makes more money. Yep, my brother, to the tune of $10,000 more per year than I, an illustrious college graduate, make in the field of education. Is his life less important or his work less financially stable and beneficial? He may never have been able to pass some of these exams with his learning disabilities, even with the special accommodations made for such students; does that make him less intelligent or his time in the classroom less valuable?

Frankly, I hope that schools do improve and that students do get more out of their educations. I hope each child is given all the tools he or she needs to reach his/her potential. I hope that basic skills improve and that every high school graduate has basic reading and math skills. I hope schools and educators get the funding they need and deserve to do this incredibly tough job. I hope parents and educators and legislators realize that the way to make sure No Child is Left Behind is to not leave a child behind! Don't tailor the kids to fit the goals of a test. Tailor their educational options to fit them.

Agree or disagree with me on this topic, I challenge you to thank a teacher, volunteer at a local school, be involved in the education of the children in your life, and be an advocate for children to our elected officials. Our future success as a nation does not allow the option of failure in education.